UMathewu 24
1 UJesu wathi esuka ethempelini esehamba abafundi bakhe beza kuye bathi kake ananzelele izakhiwo zalo.
As Jesus walked out of the temple, his disciples came, and caused him to observe the buildings of it.
2 Wathi, “Liyazibona na zonke lezizinto? Ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi akulalitshe lapha elizasala liphezu kwelinye; wonke azabhidlizwa.”
Jesus said to them, All this you see; indeed I say to you, one stone shall not be left here upon another. All shall be razed.
3 Kwathi uJesu ehlezi eNtabeni yama-Oliva abafundi bakhe beza kuye ngasese bathi, “Sitshele, kuzakwenzakala nini lokhu na, njalo kuzakuba lesibonakaliso bani sokuza kwakho lokuphela kwesikhathi na?” (aiōn g165)
As he sat upon the Mount of Olives his disciples addressed him privately, saying, Tell us, when will this happen; and what will be the sign of your coming, and of the conclusion of this state? (aiōn g165)
4 UJesu waphendula wathi, “Qaphelani ukuze lingakhohliswa muntu.
Jesus answering, said to them, Take heed that no man seduce you:
5 Ngoba abanengi bazakuza ngebizo lami besithi, ‘NginguKhristu,’ bakhohlise abanengi.
for many will assume my character, saying, I am the Messiah, and will seduce many.
6 Lizakuzwa ngezimpi lamahungahunga azo, kodwa lingaze lethuka. Izinto ezinjalo zizakwenzeka, kodwa ukucina kulokhu kuseza.
Nay, you shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars; but take care that you be not alarmed: for all these things must happen; but the end is not yet.
7 Isizwe sizavukela isizwe, lombuso uvukele umbuso. Kuzakuba lendlala lokuzamazama komhlaba ezindaweni ezitshiyeneyo.
For nation will arise against nation; and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and pestilences, and earthquakes in sundry places.
8 Konke lokhu kuyikuqalisa kobuhlungu bokuhelelwa.
Yet these are but the prelude of woes.
9 Lapho lizanikelwa ukuba lihlutshwe njalo libulawe, futhi lizazondwa yizizwe zonke ngenxa yami.
For they will deliver you to torments and to death, and you shall be hated by all nations on my account.
10 Ngalesosikhathi abanengi bazadela ukukholwa banikelane njalo bazondane,
Then many will be ensnared, and will betray their fellows, and hate them.
11 kuvele abaphrofethi bamanga abanengi abazakhohlisa abantu abanengi.
And many false prophets will arise, who will seduce many.
12 Ngenxa yokwanda kobubi, uthando lwabanengi luzaphola,
And because vice will abound, the love of the greater number will cool.
13 kodwa lowo oma aqine kuze kube sekupheleni uzasindiswa.
But the man who perseveres to the end shall be saved.
14 Njalo lelivangeli lombuso lizatshunyayelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba njengobufakazi kuzozonke izizwe, besekufika ukuphela.
And this gospel of the Reign shall be published through all the world, for the information of all nations. And then shall come the end.
15 Nxa libona kumi endaweni engcwele ‘amanyala aletha incithakalo,’okwakhulunywa ngomphrofethi uDanyeli, ofundayo kezwisise.
When, therefore, you shall see, on holy ground, the desolating abomination foretold by the Prophet Daniel, (reader, attend!)
16 Lapho-ke akuthi labo abaseJudiya babalekele ezintabeni.
then let those in Judea flee to the mountains:
17 Akungabikhona osophahleni lwendlu ozakwehla phansi ukuyathatha ulutho endlini.
let not him, who shall be upon the housetop, come down to carry things out of his house;
18 Lowo osemasimini kangabuyeli ngekhaya ukuyathatha ijazi lakhe.
and let not him, who shall be in the field, return to take his mantle.
19 Yeka ubulukhuni obuzakuba khona ngalezonsuku kwabesifazane abakhulelweyo labangabadlezane!
But alas for the women with child, and for them that give suck in those days!
20 Khulekelani ukuba ukuphaphatheka kwenu kungabi sebusika loba ngeSabatha.
Pray, therefore, that your flight happen not in the winter, nor on a Sabbath;
21 Ngoba ngalesosikhathi kuzakuba lokuhlupheka okukhulu, okungazange kube khona kulokhu kwadabuka umhlaba kuze kube manje, njalo kakusoze kube khona futhi.
because there shall be then so great tribulation, as has not been since the beginning of the world until now, nor shall be ever after.
22 Aluba lezinsuku bezingaphungulwanga, kakho obezaphepha, kodwa ngenxa yabakhethiweyo lezinsuku zizaphungulwa.
For, if the time were protracted, no soul could survive; but for the sake of the elect, the time will be short.
23 Nxa ngalesosikhathi omunye esithi kini, ‘Khangela, nangu uKhristu!’ loba ‘Ulaphaya!’ lingakukholwa lokho.
If any man shall say to you then, Lo! the Messiah is here, or he is there, believe it not:
24 Ngoba oKhristu bamanga labaphrofethi bamanga bazavela benze izibonakaliso lezimangaliso ezinkulu ukukhohlisa kanye labakhethiweyo, nxa lokho kungenzeka.
for false Messiahs and false prophets will arise, who will perform great wonders and prodigies, so as to seduce, if possible, the elect themselves.
25 Zwanini, sengihle ngalitshela mandulo kwesikhathi.
Remember, I have warned you.
26 Ngakho-ke, nxa umuntu elitshela esithi, ‘Nanguyana, laphayana egangeni,’ lingayi khona loba athi, ‘Nangu lapha ezindlini ezingaphakathi,’ lingaze lakukholwa lokho.
Wherefore, if they say, He is in the desert, go not out. He is in the closet, believe it not.
27 Ngoba njengombane osuka empumalanga uhle ubonakale lasentshonalanga, kuzakuba njalo ukufika kweNdodana yoMuntu.
For the coming of the Son of Man shall be like lightning, which breaking forth from the east, shines even to the west.
28 Lapho okulesidumbu khona kulapho amanqe abuthana khona.
For wheresoever the carcass is, the eagles will be gathered together.
29 Masinyane ngemva kokuhlupheka kwalezonsuku, ‘ilanga lizafiphala lenyanga kayiyikukhanya; izinkanyezi zizakuwa esibhakabhakeni, izisekelo zasezulwini zizazanyazanyiswa.’
Immediately after those days of affliction, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall withhold her light; and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the heavenly powers shall be shaken.
30 Kulesosikhathi isibonakaliso seNdodana yoMuntu sizavela emkhathini, kuthi zonke izizwe zomhlaba zilile. Zizabona iNdodana yoMuntu isiza ngamayezi esibhakabhakeni, ilamandla lobukhosi obukhulu.
Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and all the tribes of the land shall mourn, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with great majesty and power.
31 Njalo izathumela izingilosi zayo zitshaya icilongo ngomsindo omkhulu, beseziqoqa abakhethiweyo bayo emagumbini womane omhlaba, kusukela ngapha kwamazulu kusiya ngale kwawo.
And he will send his messengers with a loud sounding trumpet, who shall assemble his elect from the four quarters of the earth, from one extremity of the world to the other.
32 Manje-ke, fundani lesisifundo esihlahleni somkhiwa: Amahlumela aso angaqalisa ukuba buthakathaka lamahlamvu aso ahlume, lihle lazi ukuthi ihlobo selisondele.
Learn now a similitude from the fig tree. When its branches become tender and put forth leaves, you know that summer is nigh.
33 Kanjalo-ke, nxa lingabona zonke lezizinto, lazi ukuthi sekusondele, khonapho emnyango.
In like manner, when you shall see all these things, know that he is near, even at the door.
34 Ngilitshela iqiniso, lesisizukulwane kasiyikudlula zize zenzakale zonke lezizinto.
Indeed, I say to you, this race shall not pass, until all these things happen.
35 Izulu lomhlaba kuzedlula, kodwa amazwi ami kawayikwedlula lanini.”
Heaven and earth shall fail; but my words shall never fail.
36 “Kodwa kakho olwaziyo lolosuku lehola, loba izingilosi zasezulwini, kumbe iNdodana, kodwa uBaba kuphela.
But of that day, and that hour, know none, but the Father; no, not the angels.
37 Njengoba kwakunjalo ensukwini zikaNowa, kuzakuba njalo ekufikeni kweNdodana yoMuntu.
Now that which happened in Noah's time, will also happen at the coming of the Son of Man.
38 Ngoba ensukwini ezandulela uzamcolo, abantu babesidla, benatha, bethatha njalo besenda, kwaze kwafika usuku uNowa angena ngalo emkhunjini;
For as in the days before the flood, even to that day that Noah entered the ark, they were eating and drinking, and marrying,
39 futhi babengazi lutho ngalokho okwakuzakwenzeka uzamcolo waze wafika wabatshabalalisa. Kuzakuba njalo ekufikeni kweNdodana yoMuntu.
and suspected nothing, until the flood came and swept them all away: so shall it also be at the coming of the Son of Man.
40 Kuzakuthi amadoda emabili esensimini, eyodwa izathathwa, eyinye isale.
Two men shall be in the field; one shall be taken, and one shall be left.
41 Kuzakuthi abesifazane bebabili bechola ngembokodo, oyedwa uzathathwa omunye asale.
Two women shall be grinding at the mill; one shall be taken, and one shall be left.
42 Ngakho, lindani ngoba kalikwazi ukuthi iNkosi yenu izafika ngaluphi usuku.
Watch, therefore, since you know not at what hour your master will come.
43 Kodwa zwisisani lokhu: Kube umninindlu wayekwazile ukuthi isela lizafika ngasiphi isikhathi sobusuku ngabe walinda kaze avumela ukuthi indlu yakhe igqekezwe.
You are sure, that if the householder knew at what time of the night the thief would come, he would watch, and not suffer him to break into his house.
44 Ngakho lani hlalani lilindile, ngoba iNdodana yoMuntu izafika ngesikhathi leso elizabe lingayikhumbuleli sona.
Be you, therefore, always prepared; because the Son of Man will come at an hour, when you are not expecting him.
45 Ngubani kambe oyinceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo umninimuzi ayibeke esikhundleni sokukhangela izisebenzi zalapha ekhaya ukuthi azinike ukudla kwazo ngesikhathi esifaneleyo?
Who, now, is the discreet and faithful servant, whom his master has set over his household, to dispense to them regularly their allowance?
46 Kuzakuba kuhle kuleyo nceku inkosi ezayifica isenza njalo ekuphendukeni kwayo.
Happy that servant, if his master, at his return, find him so employed.
47 Ngilitshela iqiniso, izakumbeka ukuthi aphathe yonke impahla yayo.
Indeed, I say to you, he will intrust him with the management of all his estate.
48 Kodwa cabanga mhlawumbe inceku leyo ikhohlakele njalo ingazitshela ithi, ‘Inkosi yami isesekhatshana ukubuya,’
But as to the vicious servant, who shall say within himself, My master defers his return,
49 ibisiqalisa ukutshaya ezinye izinceku njalo lokudla inatha lezidakwa.
and shall beat his fellow-servants, and feast and carouse with drunkards;
50 Inkosi yaleyonceku izabuya ngosuku engacatshangelwa khona langesikhathi inceku engasaziyo.
the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not expecting him, and at an hour of which he is not apprised,
51 Izayiqumaquma, iyiphe indawo kanye labazenzisi, lapho okuzakuba khona ukukhala lokugedla kwamazinyo.”
and having discarded him, will assign him his portion among the perfidious. Weeping and gnashing of teeth shall be there.
The World is Destroyed by Water
